A look around the Pac-12 Conference Wednesday morning. This will be the last Pac-12 Roundup of the season (SHADDUP!):

California — Louisiana Tech’s Sonny Dykes, Cincinnati Bengals assistant Hue Jackson and Carolina Panthers head coach Ron Rivera are among the top five candidates listed for the new California coach opening. San Francisco 49ers offensive coordinator Greg Roman — Stanford’s O-Coordinator under Jim Harbaugh whom I wrote could be a lead candidate — does have a hole in his resume: He’s never been a head coach.

He was less clear about quarterback Darron Thomas. Kelly revealed nothing, which leaves Thomas day to day from an injury that left him leaving the stadium with a brace on his knee.

It shouldn’t matter. Colorado is a 32 1/2-point underdog and it’s clear Kelly searched for something nice to say. He said Colorado is “playing hard and competing,” and he noted it hadn’t had many turnovers.

USC — Junior Curtis McNeal may get first start Saturday after starter Marc Tyler dislocated his shoulder Thursday and formerly disgruntled sophomore Dillon Baxter didn’t show for Sunday’s practice due to a family issue.

It has the Heisman Trophy favorite in quarterback Andrew Luck, a 1,000-yard rusher in Stephen Taylor, two preseason All-American offensive linemen in guard David DeCastro and tackle Jonathan Martin and plenty of defensive playmakers.

The three replacements on the offensive line have gone from question marks to non factors after a solid fall camp and the offense was only tweaked when coach David Shaw replaced Jim Harbaugh.

The seventh-ranked Cardinal also has a favorable schedule. Starting Saturday against San Jose State, Stanford doesn’t play a bowl team until Oct. 22 when it hosts Washington. Even if third-ranked Oregon beats No. 4 Louisiana State in Arlington, Texas, Saturday, the Ducks must play at Stanford Nov. 12. That could not only determine the North Division title but also a berth in the BCS Championship game.

Three coaches are on the hot seat in the Pac-12: UCLA’s Rick Neuheisel, Arizona State’s Dennis Erickson and Washington State’s Paul Wulff. But Shaw’s seat tingles, too. He’s taking over from Jim Harbaugh who merely lifted Stanford from 1-11 to 12-1 in four years.

Shaw has the best player in the country in Andrew Luck so anything short of a major bowl will be a disappointment. Yet he must find Luck some new receivers and rebuild both lines.

Terry Frei graduated from Wheat Ridge High School in the Denver area and has degrees in history and journalism from the University of Colorado-Boulder. He worked for the Rocky Mountain News while attending CU and joined the Post staff after graduation. He has also worked at the Oregonian in Portland, Ore., and The Sporting News. His seventh book, March 1939: Before the Madness, was issued in February 2014.